The present invention relates to solid, semi-solid and/or liquid compositions comprised of hydrophobic quaternary ammonium compounds with a dispersing agent and/or a stabilizing agent. The compositions of the instant invention are readily dispersible in water and water-based formulations to provide stable dispersions. Such dispersions are particularly useful in hair-treating formulations, such as shampoos and hair conditioners. Further, the dispersions are also useful as fabric softening agents at any point in the fabric cleaning and drying process (e.g. washing, rinsing or drying cycle, etc.).
As used herein, the term "aqueous dispersion" includes any system having an aqueous continuous phase and a discontinuous phase comprised of a hydrophobic quaternary ammonium compound. Under this definition, the term "aqueous dispersion" includes, as well, "aqueous suspensions" and "aqueous emulsions".
Hydrophobic quaternary ammonium compounds, particularly those derived from certain fatty secondary and tertiary amines, are difficult to disperse in water. Trialiphatic quaternary ammonium compounds are notably difficult to disperse in water. This is especially true of those having relatively long aliphatic chains (e.g., greater than about eight carbon atoms in the aliphatic chains), such as tricetyl methyl ammonium chloride (N-methyl-N,N-dihexadecylhexadecanaminium chloride) and tridodecyl methyl ammonium chloride. Further, once formed, many aqueous dispersions of hydrophobic quaternary ammonium compounds are prone to phase separation. Thus, the formation and the physical stability of many such dispersions are problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,325,404 discloses stabilizing in aqueous anionic detergent solutions a cationic softener of the general formula R.sub.2 R'R"N+X- wherein R is a 14 to 20 carbon atom alkyl radical, R' is a methyl radical and R" is a methyl, ethyl or ethoxylated radical and X is one of several anions. The stabilization is caused by the use of certain monoalkyl quaternary salts having only one 8 to 20 carbon atom alkyl radical chain, the other constituents of the quaternary salt being a 1 to 4 carbon atom alkyl group, a cyclic substituent, benzyl or a benzyl derivative.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,887 discloses a polyether derivative of the following general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms;
R.sub.2 represents an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical containing 8 to 30 carbon atoms; PA1 n=10-50 (mean value); PA1 m=0-10 (mean value); PA1 p=1-10 (mean value). PA1 R.sub.2 represents an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical containing 8 to 30 carbon atoms; PA1 n=10-50 (mean value); PA1 m=0-10 (mean value); and PA1 p=1-10 (mean value).
The polyether derivatives are taught to be suitable emulsifiers, particularly in water and oil emulsions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,877 discloses use of the polyether derivative in cosmetic emulsions. Mentioned as the oil phase are animal and vegetable oils and fats, synthetic esters of fatty acids with aliphatic alcohols, higher fatty alcohols, waxes, mineral fats and oils such as paraffin oil and vaseline, silicone oils and silicone fats. U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,877 also discloses that its emulsions can be prepared by dissolving the polyether derivatives in the oil phase at about 75.degree. followed by the slow addition of the water phase heated to about 75.degree..
U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,602 claims an aqueous-alcohol composition comprising at least one oil-soluble perfume oil and 0.3-5 parts by weight of at least one block-copolymeric polyglycol ether of a specific formula (which is within the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,877).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,675,118 and 4,569,800 disclose quaternary ammonium salts of the following formula ##STR2## wherein R is an alkyl or alkenyl group having about 6 to about 18 carbon atoms and X is Cl.sup.-, I.sup.-, Br.sup.- or OSO.sub.3 CH.sub.3.sup.-.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,118 R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having a carbon chain length of from about 6 to about 18. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,800 R is a tallow radical. These quaternary ammonium compounds are said to be useful in fabric softening compounds.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,704,272 and 4,728,457 disclose the use of tricetyl methyl ammonium chloride as the hair conditioning agent in shampoo formulations.
There are, however, continuing technical problems with aqueous dispersions and emulsions of hydrophobic quaternary ammonium compounds. Specifically, it is difficult to disperse or emulsify certain quaternary ammonium compounds in water. Additionally, once these compositions are formed they are frequently physically unstable, separating into two or more phases during a reasonable storage time. These problems are overcome by the current invention.